News and notes from around the interweb:
- When Delta raised the price of partner award tickets without notice — ironically, copying United for a change in having different prices for awards on their own flights versus partners — there was still a ‘trick’ to get the same lower Delta pricing when flying partners. You just needed a connecting flight.
Apparently Delta has closed this loophole though as Matthew explains it could have been worse.
- The hotel industry is lobbbying around the country to create new rules that will make Airbnb’ing out your home illegal. Lobbysts claimed responsibility for victory in New York state.
- New York City is proposing to require Uber to offer in-app tipping. In 1984 George Will wrote a book Statecraft as Soulcraft where he suggested that government policy shapes the moral framework of society. I hate tipping, though it seems it ought to be an option, requiring companies to facilitate the practice — officially promoting tipping as a government policy — seems like a bad idea, however.
- Cathay Pacific plans for a new regional business class to debut in 2019. Of course I’m most looking forward to their new first class.
- The story behind why filmmaker Laura Poitras — who was one of the journalists Edward Snowden gave NSA files to in Hong Kong — was getting stopped by airport security and by immigration authorities incessantly for years.
- Austin airport’s new 3 gate South Terminal is open. I’m unlikely to see it because it’s a different building than the main terminal and the two aren’t connected post-security. Currently only Allegiant operates out of it. The airport runs a shuttle between the two terminals.
Travelers at the retro-themed building will board their flights not via jet-bridges, but rather by going outside and climbing stairs to their planes. Fliers will be able to sit indoors or out while waiting for their flights. There’ll also be a pet relief area and an outdoor food-truck retail area
- Hotels aren’t changing their overbooking policies (oh yes, lost in all of the airline hate, hotels overbook too.)
- Three decade time lapse of the earth created by Google (HT: Kalil D.)
Come on Gary. We’re all dying for an Austin South Terminal / Allegiant flight review.
That time lapse was amazing to watch. Explosive growth in the developing countries!
“I hate tipping, though it seems it ought to be an option, requiring companies to facilitate the practice — officially promoting tipping as a government policy — seems like a bad idea, however.”
Wow, that sentence was astonishingly poorly worded.
I use airbnb several times a year but, if I lived in a residential apartment building, I know I would oppose my neighbor turning his apartment into a hotel. And if he bought several units in the building to use as hotel rooms, I’d take active steps to oppose it. I think most people would, and I don’t think it’s an unreasonable position.